Taichang Emperor facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Taichang Emperor泰昌帝 |
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| Emperor of the Ming dynasty | |||||||||||||||||
| Reign | 28 August 1620 – 26 September 1620 | ||||||||||||||||
| Enthronement | 28 August 1620 | ||||||||||||||||
| Predecessor | Wanli Emperor | ||||||||||||||||
| Successor | Tianqi Emperor | ||||||||||||||||
| Crown Prince of the Ming dynasty | |||||||||||||||||
| Tenure | 1601–1620 | ||||||||||||||||
| Predecessor | Crown Prince Zhu Yijun | ||||||||||||||||
| Successor | Crown Prince Zhu Cilang | ||||||||||||||||
| Born | 28 August 1582 Wanli 10, 11th day of the 8th month (萬曆十年八月十一日) |
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| Died | 26 September 1620 (aged 38) Taichang 1, 1st day of the 9th month (泰昌元年九月初一日) |
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| Burial | Qingling Mausoleum, Ming tombs, Beijing | ||||||||||||||||
| Consorts |
Empress Xiaoyuanzhen
(m. 1601; died 1613)Empress Dowager Xiaohe
(died 1619)Empress Dowager Xiaochun
(died 1614) |
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| House | Zhu | ||||||||||||||||
| Dynasty | Ming | ||||||||||||||||
| Father | Wanli Emperor | ||||||||||||||||
| Mother | Empress Dowager Xiaojing | ||||||||||||||||
The Taichang Emperor (Chinese: 泰昌帝; pinyin: Tàichāng Dì), whose personal name was Zhu Changluo (Chinese: 朱常洛), was the 15th emperor of the Ming dynasty. He was born on 28 August 1582 and died on 26 September 1620.
He was the oldest son of the Wanli Emperor. Zhu Changluo became emperor in 1620 after his father passed away. However, his rule was very short. He died less than a month after becoming emperor, following a serious illness. His son, Zhu Youjiao, then became the next ruler, known as the Tianqi Emperor.
The name of his era, "Taichang", means "grand prosperity." Despite this hopeful name, his reign was the shortest in the history of the Ming dynasty.
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Taichang Emperor: A Short Reign
Zhu Changluo was born in 1582, during the tenth year of his father, the Wanli Emperor's reign. His mother, Lady Wang, was a palace servant. Even though she was promoted, she was not a favorite of the Wanli Emperor. Because of this, Zhu Changluo, despite being the emperor's oldest son, was often ignored by his father.
Instead, the Wanli Emperor preferred his younger son, Zhu Changxun. Zhu Changxun's mother was Lady Zheng, the emperor's favorite concubine. The Wanli Emperor wanted Zhu Changxun to be the next emperor, or crown prince. However, many government officials strongly disagreed. This disagreement caused a long delay in choosing the next crown prince.
Becoming Crown Prince
In 1601, the Wanli Emperor finally agreed to the wishes of his officials and his own mother. Nineteen-year-old Zhu Changluo was officially named the crown prince. This meant he was the rightful heir to the throne.
Even after this official recognition, there were still plots and disagreements about who should be emperor. Rumors continued that the Wanli Emperor still wanted to replace Zhu Changluo with Zhu Changxun.
The Wooden Staff Incident
In 1615, a strange event happened at the palace. A man named Zhang Chai, armed with only a wooden staff, broke into the Forbidden City. He specifically targeted the Crown Prince's living area. Zhang Chai was caught and arrested.
At first, investigators thought he was just mentally unwell. But another official, Wang Zhicai, looked deeper into the case. Zhang Chai then confessed that two palace servants working for Lady Zheng had encouraged him. They had promised him rewards for attacking the crown prince. This suggested that Lady Zheng might have been involved in a plot against Zhu Changluo.
To protect Lady Zheng, the Wanli Emperor personally handled the case. He blamed only the two servants, who were executed along with Zhang Chai. The incident was quickly covered up. However, people continued to talk about it, and it became known as the "Case of the Wooden Staff Assault." This was one of the big mysteries of the late Ming dynasty.
His Time as Emperor
The Wanli Emperor died on 18 August 1620. Zhu Changluo officially became the emperor on 28 August 1620, which was also his 38th birthday. He chose "Taichang" as his era name, meaning "grand prosperity."
His first few days as emperor seemed promising. He ordered two million silver coins to be given to the border troops. He also started filling important government jobs that had been empty for a long time. Many unpopular taxes that his father had put in place were also removed.
However, just ten days after becoming emperor, the Taichang Emperor became very ill. Celebrations for his birthday were canceled.
The Mystery of the Red Pills
On 10 September, the emperor's condition worsened after he took a laxative suggested by a palace servant named Cui Wensheng. Then, on 25 September, to help with his illness, he took a "red pill" given to him by a minor court official named Li Kezhuo, who knew about medicines.
Official records say that the Taichang Emperor felt much better after taking the first red pill. He even got his appetite back and praised Li Kezhuo. That same afternoon, the emperor took a second pill. The next morning, on 26 September 1620, he was found dead.
The sudden death of the emperor, who seemed to be getting better, shocked everyone. Rumors quickly spread throughout the Ming Empire. This mysterious death became known as the "Case of the Red Pills," another famous mystery of the late Ming dynasty.
What Happened After?
The death of the Taichang Emperor caused a lot of confusion in the Ming court. First, they were still mourning the death of his father, the Wanli Emperor. Second, there was no proper tomb ready for the Taichang Emperor, as imperial tombs were usually custom-made by the reigning emperor.
A tomb was quickly built for him on the site of an older, demolished tomb. It was finished in 1621 and named Qingling.
The question of how to name his short reign was also discussed. Even though he had chosen "Taichang" as his era name, his rule was very brief. After much debate, it was decided that the Wanli era ended in July 1620. The Taichang era then officially covered August to December of 1620. The next era, Tianqi, began in January 1621.
Family Life
The Taichang Emperor had many consorts and children. Here are some of the most important ones:
- His father was the Wanli Emperor.
- His mother was Empress Dowager Xiaojing.
- He had several wives, including Empress Xiaoyuanzhen, Empress Dowager Xiaohe, and Empress Dowager Xiaochun.
- His most famous sons were:
- Tianqi Emperor, who became the next emperor.
- Chongzhen Emperor, who later became emperor after the Tianqi Emperor.
See also
In Spanish: Taichang para niños
- Chinese emperors family tree (late)
- List of Emperors of the Ming dynasty
